Wirral pensioner dies giving chase to teenage yobs near his home




POLICE have launched an investigation after a Wirral pensioner died after apparently chasing teenage yobs near his home.

John Cooper, 67, collapsed in an alleyway at the side of his home in Holly Place, Moreton at around 7pm last Wednesday.

He had suffered a massive heart attack before being rushed to Arrowe Park Hospital where he died.

Police confirmed that an investigation into the events leading upto Mr Cooper’s death is underway.

They have also spoken to, and will be speaking to again, three youths who may have had contact with the deceased prior to his death. A post-mortem revealed he had died from natural causes.

Area Commander for Wirral Jon Ward said: "I would like to express my condolences to Mr Cooper's family at this sad time.

"Officers work hard to tackle all complaints from residents, and neighbourhood teams are dedicated to focussing on community issues.

"While we have received very few calls about anti social behaviour in this area over the last four years, we will continue to speak with local residents regarding any concerns they may have.

"We recognise that anti-social behaviour greatly affects people's lives and we are committed to tackling it.

"We would encourage people to report any incidents of anti-social behaviour to us so that we can take appropriate action with partners and ensure that our communities don't suffer in silence."


THE GLOBE

This is really sad this.
Its actually a friend of mines uncle.
Its one of them that should never have happened.

"While we have received very few calls about anti social behaviour in this area over the last four years, we will continue to speak with local residents regarding any concerns they may have"

I'll tell you why that is - when you call to report ASB they will only log it as a Police incident if something has actually been smashed or someone assaulted. I've called them several times about "youths" throwing stones at my house and they won't do anything until they actually break a window.

They direct you towards the coucils ASB team who soemtimes send one of their vans but they don't have many staff or resources. Keeps the Police figures down though.......

So so sad.
Condolences to the family

[quote=AR_One]"While we have received very few calls about anti social behaviour in this area over the last four years, we will continue to speak with local residents regarding any concerns they may have"

The probability is that people have got fed up of reporting anti-social incidents to the police. Either for the reason,s stated by AR_One, or because they fear repercussions from the local tearaways, if plod do turn out, and advertise the fact that they have been notified of an incident. It is a pity that plod were not more pro-active and were constantly on the look-out for trouble makers. This is a national problem,in a country where the police seem to be more interested in harrassing naughty road users who might be exceeding the speed limit as they try to get to/from work.
I offer my condolences to the family of the unfortunate Mr.Cooper

Police are more centred on road 'crime'. How many times do they need to be told, get PC's patrolling the streets (like they used to do). I've complained before about anti-social behavior, and nothing has happened, I've haven't lost all confidence in the police, I know they do a truly excellent and relentlessly good job of catching motorists with an out of date tax disc, but surely this is more important?
Anyone tired of reading this type of thing?

How sad, tag ALL teenagers!
Tar them all with the same brush i say

My mate lives in Sedgefield Road and practically every night there is anti-social behavoir on the estate. It really pisses me off that the police play it down when the area is frequently like downtown Baghdad. He's complained to the concillors, Wirral partnership homes and has written to the police.

Due to the problems with the estate, he's contacted one of the councillors so much that he was even asked to join the labour party!

On of the major issues locally is that of the design of the Sandbrook Estate, it is a giant adventure playground having small walls that join to garages so that they act like steps, alleyways, dead ends, houses built back to front, masionettes, the heights, huge voids of land and the very close proximity of Upton Park. This makes the estate a nightmare to police. The police do actually admit this.

It's hard to imagine what can be done apart from knocking the whole thing down and starting again. Whomever designed this in Wallasey CBC back in the 1960's must have been sniffing floor polish at the time.

Some info on the social problems of the Sandbrook over the years:

https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/411172/Re_Sandbrook_Estate.html

Wirral yobs who tormented Moreton pensioner before he died may not face serious criminal charges



YOBS who tormented a pensioner moments before his death may only face minor criminal charges.

Detectives are investigating the fatal collapse of John Cooper, 67, who suffered a heart attack after chasing youths near his home in Moreton.

The former bus driver was plagued by teenagers for three years.

On Wednesday May 12 at 7pm, Mr Cooper left his bungalow to take pictures on a camera of children tormenting him.

After chasing them away, he suffered a heart seizure in an alleyway next to his home, and later died at Arrowe Park Hospital.

Police are probing reports the yobs were scaling the pensioner’s and his neighbours’ roofs minutes before he gave chase.

But if any criminal case is faced by the teens, a charge as serious of manslaughter would have no legal grounds.

Criminal damage, harassment or trespass are the most serious charges which could be put forward, police believe.

Derek Robson, Mr Cooper’s stepson, still thinks the actions of the gang, aged 11-16, led to his stepfather’s death.

The former Cape Town police chief has retraced Mr Cooper’s steps through the network of paths around the bungalow, in Holly Place.

Crucially, Mr Robson has spoken to a close neighbour who watched the yobs run off as Mr Cooper lay prostrate on the floor.

He said: “I would be devastated if police tried to push some inconsequential charge against these lads.”

A spokesman for Merseyside Police said they were satisfied they had spoken to the relevant people involved after questioning six teens. He added no offence appeared to have been committed against Mr Cooper.


THE POST

Very sad

Perhaps prosecuting them would not be in the polices PR interests.
A prosecution for a criminal offence now would infer negligence on the forces behalf over the past few years when they allowed teens to run wild with no interference from them.

f~cking joke, I had to chase some lads today at about 15:30. a 12 year old smashed my mums windscreen with a slingshot and marble.

well pissed off cos its her birthday too